Cooling unit



Nov. 3, 1931'.

COOLING UNIT Filed Jan. 25, 1928 Paiement 3, 1931 uurrsn STArEs PATENT oFFicE CHARLES C. WALSH AND AMY WALSH, 0F GROSSE POINTE PARK,

SAID M.'WALSH ASSIGNOB. T0 SAID CHARLES (7. WALSH COLING -UNIT Application .filed January 25,'1928. Serial No. 249,302.

This invention relates to a cooling unit and has to do particularly with the provision of a combined cooling unit having separate compartments for storing and cooling articles of a different nature or characteristics, such as food and clothing,

It is the object of this invention to provide a domestic refrigerating unit such as is now in general use for the storing and cooling of 1 foodstuffs with a separate compartment for the storing of articles such as furs, clothing, or the like, whereby the clothing or similar articles maybe conveniently and advantageously stored and kept in a cool, moth-proof condition.A Y v A' further feature of the present invention has to do with the manner of combining the food refrigerating unit and the separate storing compartment, and the manner of regu- 2e lating the heat transfer between the refrigerating mechanism anti the separate storage compartments. Other features of the inven-c tion will be brought out in the specification and claim appended hereto.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration, partly cut away, of a cooling unit constructed in accordance with our invent/ion wherein the clotlies storage' compartment is formed as a au separate compartment in the unit but is in direct circulating contacty with the air in the food compartment.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to 1 but illusvf trating a modified manner of cooling the sep,

arate storage compartment.

. Fig. 3` 's a front elevation of a refrigerator or cooling unitsimilar to the structures shown `in Figs. 1 and 2 but modified in that the return pipe from the sharp freezing cham- 'ber or coolingunit is positioned partially in the separate storage compartment. i

Fig. ,4 is a plan view illustrating a furthe modified form of our invention wherein thel storage compartment is positioned at-therear of the unit and wherein the cooling unit or partially into sharp freezing unit proJects the separate storagecompartment.

`While our invention is particularly adapted to .the combining of a storage compartment yfor the storing of clothes and Asimilar articles with a food refrigerating unit to.

form a complete cooling unit, it will be understood that this is merely the preferred manner of illustrating the invention and that Various modifications and combinations may be utilized .without departing from the scope' of the invention. v

In Figs. 1 and 2 we have shown oui-unit as being' formed 'of a single casing 1 similar to the standard type of domestic refrigerating unit now in commercial use and which casing is preferably formed of a reinforcing material suitably insulated. In these two gures the casing is shown divided into a plurality of compartments, one. compartment, the food compartment, being designated 2 and a second compartment for storing clothes and similar articles being designated 3. The

food compartment may contain a suitable cooling unit or sharp freezn member 4 through which a suitable refrigerant may be circulate'd in the general manner. As

shown, the storage compartment 3 is provided with a door whic 'preferably extends the full height of the unit or casing and the portion of the casing below the food ystorage compartment 2 is preferably provvided with a suitable compartment for receiving the refrigerating mechanism.

It will be understood that in both-structures illustrated in Figs. 1. and 2 that the t main transfer of heat takes place between the cooling unit 4 and the food storage compartme'nt 2. The separate storage compartment 3 is preferably maintained at a slightly higher temperature than the temperature of the food storage compartment, and the preferred manner of cooling this separate storage compartment 3 isbest shownin Fig. 2. Inl this gurefthe compartments 2 and 3 are shown as being separated by means` of a suitable partition 5, preferablyV formed of a heat conducting material. A conduit 6 which is preferablv rectangular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 2, is supported by the partition 5 and preferably extends through suitable apertures at the top and bottom of said partition. whereby to cause circulationof the air within the storage compartment 3. The' surface area of this con-Y duit 6 is preferably relatively great wherebyA to cause a positive circulation of the air within the compartment 3, the air coming from the upper part of the compartment '3, passing to the conduit 6 and being cooled, by conduction, in view of-the low temperature conditions in the'storage compartment 2.

Thus, the temperature in the storage compartment 3 is maintained sufficiently low to permit of efficient storage of furs and other similar articles. The transfer of heat between the two compartments is by conduction only and a positive circulation is maintained in said compartment which not only assists in cooling the same but also prevents condensation on the walls of the partition.

The structureshown in Fig. 1 is slightly modified from that disclosed in Fig. 2, in

that aipartition 7 is provided having suitable openings 8 and 9 in the lower and upper portions thereof respectively for permitting a circulation of the air between the compartments 2 and 3, In this event they cooling of the compartment 2 is preferably accomplished by efiicient mechanical refrigeration to produce a dry. cold air. With such a dry, cold air there will be no transfer or inter- ,mingling of objectionable odors caused by the different nature of the contents in the two compartments. It will be understood,l of course, that any suitable deodorizing means `may be positioned adjacent 'the aperture 8 but this need only be a psychological addition, as `in practical A operation such means would be unnecessary.

In Fig. 3 we have shown a further modification. in `-that vthe compartments 2 and 3 are completelyv separated and the compartment 3 cooled by means of a return pipe 10 which extends through the compartment and connects the cooling unit ror expansion chamber 4 with a suitable compressor of, a refrigerating mechanism shown diagrammatically as at 11. y

In Fig. 4 We have shownfa further modi- -fied structurefor cooling the separate compartments `and in this modification the unit lcasing 1 which is 'shown as provided-with a' l sharp freezing compartment 12, a food ystor- I age compartment 13, and a compartment 14 forstoring clothes and similar articles. In

the Aparticular modificationy illustrated the 4doors for the sharp freezing of food storage compartment arey shownin position at the front of casing 1 while the door for the storlage compartment 14 'is positioned at the side ofthe' casing. f' `In this particular modifica.- y.tion the expansion or evaporating unit mayltionthereof'extending through the partition y.lgfinto the-compartment 14, whereby 'a portion/ofthecooling unit- 15 will effect a di- .rect refrigeration within the compart 4ment 14.v y

be designatedl andv preferably has a porf is obtained b utilized in coo ing the food storage compart- It will thus be seen that we have provided a new article of manufacture wherein ating mechanism; a cooling unit of the expansion or evaporation type, and a pluralityy `and the food storage compartment and the cooling of the separate storage compartment the same coollng medium ment. The cost of manufacture of our combined unit is practically the same as that of the standard domestic refrigerator, as the box or casing is a relatively small item in the 'manufacture of a domestic 'refrigerating unit. The efficiency of our combined unit is also relatively great, as the separate storage compartment is insulated and the door'thereof would be opened only a very few times compared with the use ofthe door for the 'food storage compartment.

It will be understood that our unitary casing may be either manufactured as a unit as show-n inthe drawings, or formed 1n separate detachable parts, the point being that there is a direct -combination between the Afood storage compartment and the separate ystoragecompartment whereby the cooling of the separate storage compartment is dependent upon but is subsidiary to the cooling of I we have combined in a single unit a refrigerthe food storage compartment. It will also f be understood that our complete unit may take on various designs and arrangements both as to general shape and individual arrangement, the, food storage compartment and the' cooling means therein'being of any desired form, shape, and location, and the separate storage compartment being located at any desired position in the combination. What we claim is: Y In a'domestic 'refrigerating unit consisting of a casing divided into aplurality of compartments, a storage compartment for food, a sepa-rate storage compartment for clothing extending substantially the length of the casing, refrigerating'means 'in one of vsaid compartments, and a conduit opening into the clothing storage compartment and projecting into the food storage compartment for effecting a heat conducting and circulation` relation, and an air-tight seal between the food and clothing storage' compartments. i

tures. y

CHARLES C. WALSH. AMY M. WALSH.

In testimony whereof we affix vour signa- 

